Excess Work, Food, And Media May Be Injuring Health

Although, America is known as the land of plenty but too much may actually be injuring your health. Less expensive and convenient food choices, hectic work schedules, and regular media information is causing a deteriorating effect on the mental and physical health of the population. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus who is a psychology professor at the University of California says that the excess prosperity is working against the basic human instinct of survival and adaptation.People are enjoying too much convenience

According to Mary Jane, the human beings were groomed to survive with little during the past millennia where the genetic code was built to adapt to the scarcity. However, because of the human nature to enjoy what they receive, most people have taken to enjoy the excess of modern conveniences. The fast food culture makes the average American consumer consume an extra 1000 daily calories. The never-ending media barrage is stressful while reducing the normal people interaction. Last but not the least, people work longer hours and travel more to their workplaces.Pressure to be available constantly

Texting, emails, and smart phones have added more pressure on people to be always available, which was characteristic to police officers, firefighters, and doctors. Dr. Patricia Wong, who is a LA psychiatrist, says that everyone is call every moment and mundane life is an emergency. Findings by various doctors have shown that when people cut down on eating, working, and craving for constant media coverage, they show a significant improvement in their physical and mental health.

The new culture is societal

According to Mary Jane, these new problems are a result of the societal changes that have been witnessed during the last three decades. The health concerns are because people have not adjusted to these changes and are not a result of incorrect decisions. However, she mentions that if people did not make the necessary modifications, there could be disastrous ramifications. Obesity, stress, and debt burden to meet the requirements will invariably become prominent in the future.

The other viewpoint

However, Dr. Patricia Wong does not fully agree with the analysis of Rotheram-Borus. According to Dr. Wong, the stress faced by people is a result of wanting to maintain that is already available in the tough recessionary times. The economic uncertainty overwhelms the people, which causes depression or stress that people try to deal by over-eating leading to the obesity.